Multiple transport carrier docking device

ABSTRACT

A multiple transport carrier docking device may be capable of storing and/or staging a plurality of transport carriers in a chamber of the multiple transport carrier docking device, and may be capable of forming an air-tight seal around a transport carrier in the chamber. Semiconductor wafers in the transport carrier may be accessed by a wafer transport tool while the air-tight seal around the transport carrier prevents and/or reduces the likelihood that contaminants in the semiconductor fabrication facility will reach the semiconductor wafers. The air-tight seal around the transport carrier may reduce defects of the semiconductor wafers that might otherwise be caused by the contaminants, may increase manufacturing yield and quality in the semiconductor fabrication facility, and/or may permit the continued reduction in device and/or feature sizes of integrated circuits and/or semiconductor devices that are to be formed on semiconductor wafers.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/248,073, filed Jan. 7, 2021 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,302,552), which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

A semiconductor wafer may be processed in various semiconductorprocessing tools in a semiconductor fabrication facility to producevarious integrated circuits and/or semiconductor devices. Asemiconductor wafer may be transported throughout the semiconductorfabrication facility and/or between the semiconductor processing toolsin the semiconductor fabrication facility.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the followingdetailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It isnoted that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry,various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of thevarious features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity ofdiscussion.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example semiconductor processing environmentdescribed herein.

FIGS. 2A-2F are diagrams of example implementations of a sealingcomponent for forming an air-tight seal around a transport carrierdescribed herein.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of portion of the example semiconductor processingenvironment of FIG. 1 , described herein.

FIGS. 4A-4K are diagrams of one or more example implementationsdescribed herein.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of example components of one or more devices of FIG.2 .

FIGS. 6 and 7 are flowcharts of example processes relating to accessinga transport carrier.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following disclosure provides many different embodiments, orexamples, for implementing different features of the provided subjectmatter. Specific examples of components and arrangements are describedbelow to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merelyexamples and are not intended to be limiting. For example, the formationof a first feature over or on a second feature in the description thatfollows may include embodiments in which the first and second featuresare formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in whichadditional features may be formed between the first and second features,such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact. Inaddition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/orletters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose ofsimplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationshipbetween the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.

Further, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,”“above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease ofdescription to describe one element or feature's relationship to anotherelement(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. The spatiallyrelative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of thedevice in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted inthe figures. The apparatus may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degreesor at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors usedherein may likewise be interpreted accordingly.

A plurality of semiconductor wafers and/or other types of substrates maybe transported throughout a semiconductor fabrication facility in atransport carrier. A transport carrier may include a wafer cassette, afront-opening unified pod (FOUP), a pod, a container, or a similar typeof device. To transfer a semiconductor wafer from a transport carrier toa semiconductor processing tool, the transport carrier may be placed inand/or on a load port associated with the semiconductor processing tool.A transport tool included in an interface tool (e.g., an equipment frontend module (EFEM) or similar type of interface tool) that is situatedbetween the semiconductor processing tool and the load port may removethe semiconductor wafer from the transport carrier. The transport toolmay transfer the semiconductor wafer from the transport carrier to thesemiconductor processing tool through a chamber of the interface tool.The transport tool may perform the above-described process in reverse totransfer the semiconductor wafer from the semiconductor processing toolto the transport carrier after processing.

Semiconductor wafers may be exposed to contaminants (e.g., volatileorganic compounds (VOCs), dust, debris, and other types of contaminants)in the semiconductor fabrication facility during transfer of thesemiconductor wafers between a load port and an associated semiconductorprocessing tool. These contaminants may cause semiconductor devicefailures, may cause defects to occur in the integrated circuits and/orsemiconductor devices formed in the semiconductor fabrication facility,and may reduce manufacturing yield and quality, among other examples.Moreover, the impact of the contaminants in the semiconductorfabrication facility may continue to become more significant due todecreased tolerance to the contaminants as device and/or feature sizesof the integrated circuits and/or semiconductor devices, that are to beformed on semiconductor wafers in the semiconductor fabricationfacility, continue to shrink.

Some implementations described herein provide a multiple transportcarrier docking device that can be positioned between a load port and aninterface tool to reduce and/or minimize cross contamination ofsemiconductor wafers that are transferred between the load port and anassociated semiconductor processing tool. The multiple transport carrierdocking device may be capable of forming an air-tight seal around atransport carrier while the transport carrier is in a chamber of themultiple transport carrier docking device. In this way, semiconductorwafers in the transport carrier may be accessed by a transport toolwhile the air-tight seal around the transport carrier prevents and/orreduces the likelihood that contaminants in the semiconductorfabrication facility will reach the semiconductor wafers. Accordingly,the air-tight seal around the transport carrier may reduce defects ofthe semiconductor wafers that might otherwise be caused by thecontaminants, may increase manufacturing yield and quality in thesemiconductor fabrication facility, and/or may permit the continuedreduction in device and/or feature sizes of integrated circuits and/orsemiconductor devices that are to be formed on semiconductor wafers.

Moreover, the multiple transport carrier docking device is capable ofstoring and/or staging a plurality of transport carriers in the chamberat the same time. This may permit transport carriers to be cycledthrough more quickly as the associated semiconductor processing toolprocesses the semiconductor wafers included in the plurality oftransport carriers, which may increase the capacity and throughput ofthe associated semiconductor processing tool.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example semiconductor processing environment100 described herein. The example semiconductor processing environment100 may include, or may be included in, a semiconductor fabricationfacility, a semiconductor foundry, a semiconductor processing facility,a semiconductor clean room, and/or another environment in whichsemiconductor wafers and/or devices are processed. As shown in FIG. 1 ,the example semiconductor processing environment 100 may include asemiconductor processing tool 102, a load port 104, an interface tool106, and a docking device 108, among other tools and/or devices.

The semiconductor processing tool 102 may include one or more toolsconfigured to perform one or more semiconductor processing operations onone or more semiconductor wafers and/or devices. For example, thesemiconductor processing tool 102 may include a deposition tool (e.g., asemiconductor processing tool configured to deposit one or more layersonto a semiconductor wafer), a plating tool (e.g., an electroplatingtool configured to deposit one or more metal layers onto a semiconductorwafer), an exposure tool (e.g., an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) tool, anelectron beam (e-beam) tool), an etch tool (e.g., a wet etch tool, a dryetch tool), or another type of semiconductor processing tool.

The load port 104 may include a shuttle platform 110 configured toreceive and support a transport carrier 112. The load port 104 and theshuttle platform 110 may receive the transport carrier 112 from atransport robot, a transport cart, an overhead hoist transport (OHT), oranother device configured to move transport carriers to and from variouslocations in the example semiconductor processing environment 100.

The transport carrier 112 may include a wafer cassette, a FOUP, a pod, acontainer, or a similar type of device configured to hold and/or store aplurality of semiconductor wafers. The transport carrier 112 may includea body 114 configured to rest on the shuttle platform 110. The body 114may be further configured to store a plurality of semiconductor wafers,semiconductor devices, and/or substrates that are to be used insemiconductor processing. The transport carrier 112 may further includea carrier door 116. The carrier door 116 may be attached to the body 114and may form an air-tight seal (e.g., a hermetic seal) between thecarrier door 116 and the body 114 to reduce, minimize, and/or preventcontamination of the semiconductor wafers stored in the body 114.

The interface tool 106 may include an EFEM or another tool that includesa chamber 118. Air may be provided to the chamber 118 through a filter120 (e.g., a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter or anothertype of air filter) configured to filter or remove particles and othercontaminants from the incoming air. The chamber 118 may further bevented through an exhaust 122.

The interface tool 106 may further include a wafer transport tool 124 inthe chamber 118. The wafer transport tool 124 may include a robotic armor another type of tool that is configured to transport semiconductorwafers between a transport carrier 112 and the semiconductor processingtool 102. The wafer transport tool 124 may receive and/or obtain asemiconductor wafer from a transport carrier 112 through an opening 126between the docking device 108 and the interface tool 106, and mayprovide the semiconductor wafer to the semiconductor processing tool 102through an opening 128 between the interface tool 106 and thesemiconductor processing tool 102. Moreover, the wafer transport tool124 may receive and/or obtain a semiconductor wafer from a semiconductorprocessing tool 102 through the opening 128, and may provide thesemiconductor wafer to a transport carrier 112 through the opening 126.In some implementations, the wafer transport tool 124 transferssemiconductor wafers between a transport carrier 112 and a staging areaof the semiconductor processing tool 102. In some implementations, thewafer transport tool 124 transfers semiconductor wafers between atransport carrier 112 and a processing chamber of the semiconductorprocessing tool 102.

The docking device 108 is a device that is configured to permit thetransfer of semiconductor wafers between a transport carrier 112 and thesemiconductor processing tool 102 in a manner that reduces thelikelihood of exposure of semiconductor wafers to contaminants that maybe present in the example semiconductor processing environment 100. Thedocking device 108 may be referred to as a multiple transport carrierdocking device in that the docking device 108 is configured to (and/orcapable of) storing and/or staging a plurality of transport carriers 112in a first chamber 130, as shown in FIG. 1 . The wafer transport tool124 may access a transport carrier 112 (e.g., the body 114 of thetransport carrier 112) through the opening 126 and through a secondchamber 132 of the docking device 108.

The first chamber 130 and the second chamber 132 may be separated by adivider wall 134. The divider wall 134 may include a rigid or semi-rigidstructure that extends from the top of the first chamber 130 and thesecond chamber 132, to the bottom of the first chamber 130 and thesecond chamber 132. The divider wall 134 may further extend from oneside of the first chamber 130 and the second chamber 132 to another(opposing) side of the first chamber 130 and the second chamber 132.

An opening 136 may be provided through the divider wall 134, which maybe sealed by a chamber door 138. In particular, the chamber door 138 maybe pressed against the divider wall 134 to form an air-tight seal (e.g.,a hermetic seal) between the divider wall 134 and the chamber door 138.The air-tight seal between the divider wall 134 and the chamber door 138functions as an air-tight seal between the first chamber 130 and thesecond chamber 132. The divider wall 134 and the chamber door 138 mayform the air-tight seal when the chamber door 138 is in a closedposition, as shown in FIG. 1 . The air-tight seal may reduce, minimize,and/or eliminate the likelihood that contaminants in the examplesemiconductor processing environment 100 might otherwise travel from thefirst chamber 130 to the second chamber 132 through the opening 136 inthe divider wall 134.

In some implementations, the divider wall 134 and/or the chamber door138 may include a gasket, a strip, or another component to form theair-tight seal. The gasket of the divider wall 134, if included, may beformed around the opening 136 in the divider wall 134. The gasket of thechamber door 138, if included, may be formed in a shape thatsubstantially fits around the opening 136 in the divider wall 134. Thegasket of the divider wall 134 and/or the gasket of the chamber door 138may be formed of a soft material and/or of a deformable material topermit the air-tight seal to be formed. For example, the gasket of thedivider wall 134 and/or the gasket of the chamber door 138 may be formedof a plastic material, a rubber material, a silicone material, or asimilar material. In some implementations, the material of the gasket ofthe divider wall 134 and/or the gasket of the chamber door 138 includesa gas impermeable material.

The first chamber 130 of docking device 108 may include a door 140 thatseals around an opening at a first side (e.g., a first side wall) of thedocking device 108. In some implementations, the door 140 (and theassociated opening) is on an opposing side of the docking device 108 tothe opening 126, which may be at a second side (e.g., a second sidewall) of the docking device 108. In some implementations, the door 140(and the associated opening) and the opening 126 are on adjacent sides(e.g., adjacent side walls) of the docking device 108.

The door 140 (and the associated opening) may be orientated toward theload port 104 to permit transport carriers 112 to be transferred betweenthe shuttle platform 110 and the first chamber 130. The door 140 may beopened (e.g., removed from the opening) to provide access to the firstchamber 130 for insertion of a transport carrier 112 into the firstchamber 130, and for removal of a transport carrier 112 from the firstchamber 130. The opening 126 may provide access to the second chamber132 for the wafer transport tool 124.

Air may be provided to the first chamber 130 through a filter 142 (e.g.,a HEPA filter or another type of air filter) configured to filter orremove particles and other contaminants from the incoming air flowinginto the first chamber 130. The first chamber 130 may further be ventedthrough an exhaust 144.

As indicated above, the docking device 108 may be configured to storeand/or stage a plurality of transport carriers 112 in the first chamber130. The first chamber 130 may include a plurality of moveable platforms146 on which transport carriers 112 may be placed and/or supported. Eachmoveable platform 146 may be configured support a respective transportcarrier 112. Each movable platform 146 may be sized to a greater sizerelative to the transport carriers 112 (e.g., a greater length and/or agreater width) to reduce, minimize, and/or prevent vibration of thetransport carriers. The movable platforms 146 may be configured to slideand/or otherwise move in one or more directions within the first chamber130 to permit access to each moveable platform 146 through the openingthat is orientated toward the load port 104. For example, the moveableplatforms 146 may be configured to slide and/or otherwise move in avertical direction (e.g., up and down) in the first chamber 130. Asanother example, the moveable platforms 146 may be configured to slideand/or otherwise move in a horizontal direction (e.g., side to side) inthe first chamber 130. As another example, the moveable platforms 146may be configured to slide and/or otherwise move in a vertical direction(e.g., up and down) and in a horizontal direction (e.g., side to side)in the first chamber 130. In these examples, all of the moveableplatforms 146 may move together at the same time, or individual moveableplatforms 146 may move independently of the other moveable platforms146.

The docking device 108 may include a plurality of shuttle trays 148.Each moveable platform 146 may include a respective shuttle tray 148 andone or more latches 150. Each shuttle tray 148 may be configured toreceive and support a respective transport carrier 112. Moreover, eachshuttle tray 148 may slide or otherwise move in one or more directionsto move a transport carrier 112 toward and away from a sealing component152 in the first chamber 130. For example, a shuttle tray 148 may slideand/or otherwise move relative to an associated moveable platform 146 toextend toward the sealing component 152, and may slide and/or otherwisemove relative to the associated moveable platform 146 to retract awayfrom the sealing component 152.

The one or more latches 150 included in a moveable platform 146 may beattached, connected, and/or otherwise supported by the moveable platform146. The one or more latches 150 may be configured to extend away fromthe moveable platform 146 and toward a moveable frame 154 to which thesealing component 152 is attached, mounted, and/or otherwise supported.Moreover, the one or more latches 150 may be configured to retracttoward the moveable platform 146 and away from the moveable frame 154.The one or more latches 150 may connect to the moveable platform 146when the one or more latches 150 are extended. This permits movement ofthe moveable platform 146 to cause the moveable frame 154 to move alongwith the moveable platform 146. In this way, the moveable frame 154 maybe an unpowered moveable frame (e.g., a moveable frame without adedicated motor and/or drive mechanism to move the moveable frame),which reduces the complexity of the moveable frame 154. Moreover, theone or more latches 150 permit the movement of the moveable platform 146and the movement of the moveable frame 154 to be synchronized.

The sealing component 152 included in the first chamber 130 of thedocking device 108 may be configured to reduce, minimize, and/oreliminate the likelihood of exposure to contaminants that may be presentin the example semiconductor processing environment 100 when asemiconductor wafer is transferred between the transport carrier 112 andthe semiconductor processing tool 102. The sealing component 152 may bepressed against the moveable frame 154 on a side (or face) of themoveable frame 154 facing the first chamber 130. One or more gaskets maybe located between the sealing component 152 and moveable frame 154 toreduce, minimize, and/or prevent air (and contaminants carried by theair) from passing between the sealing component 152 and the moveableframe 154.

The sealing component 152 may include one or more portions that areconfigured to form an air-tight seal (e.g., a hermetic seal) around atransport carrier 112 when a transport carrier 112 is extended towardthe sealing component 152 on a shuttle tray 148. For example, theshuttle tray 148 may slide or otherwise move the transport carrier 112toward the sealing component 152 in the first chamber 130. With thetransport carrier 112 extended toward the sealing component 152, thesealing component 152 may contract around the transport carrier 112(e.g., around the body 114 of the transport carrier 112) to form theair-tight seal between the sealing component 152 and the transportcarrier 112.

The one or more portions of the sealing component 152 may be positionedaround an opening in the moveable frame 154. The carrier door 116 of thetransport carrier 112 may extend into and/or through the opening in themoveable frame 154 when the transport carrier 112 extended toward thesealing component 152. This permits the one or more portions of thesealing component 152 to contract around the body 114 of the transportcarrier 112 (e.g., to form the air-tight seal around the body 114 of thetransport carrier 112) as opposed to the carrier door 116 of thetransport carrier 112, which permits the carrier door 116 to be removedfrom the body 114 of the transport carrier 112.

In some implementations, the sealing component 152 (or the portionsthereof) are formed of a relatively soft material (e.g., softer than thematerial of the body 114 of the transport carrier 112) to permit theair-tight seal to be formed around the transport carrier 112. Forexample, the sealing component 152 (or the portions thereof) may beformed of a plastic material, a rubber material, a silicone material, agas impermeable, or a similar material. In some implementations, thesealing component 152 (or the portions thereof) includes a gasket, astrip, or a similar component formed of a relatively soft material thatis pressed against the body 114 of the transport carrier 112 to form theair-tight seal.

When the air-tight seal is formed between the sealing component 152 anda transport carrier 112, the chamber door 138 may remove the carrierdoor 116 from the body 114 of the transport carrier 112. After removingthe carrier door 116, the chamber door 138 may transition from theclosed position shown in FIG. 1 to an open position, which releases theair-tight seal between divider wall 134 and the chamber door 138. Here,the chamber door 138 (with the removed carrier door 116) may movebackwards away from the divider wall 134 toward the opening 126, and maymove downward into the second chamber 132 (e.g., after moving backwardsaway from the divider wall 134). In this way, the opening 136 in thedivider wall 134 is cleared such that the wafer transport tool 124 ispermitted to access the transport carrier 112 (e.g., the body 114 of thetransport carrier 112) through the opening 136 in the divider wall 134and the opening 126 while the air-tight seal is formed around thetransport carrier 112 by the sealing component 152.

Prior to removing the carrier door 116 from the body 114 of thetransport carrier 112, the moveable platform 146 on which the transportcarrier 112 may move to adjust the position of the transport carrier112. In this way, the moveable platform 146 may move to align thecarrier door 116, the opening in the moveable frame 154, and the opening136 in the divider wall 134 so that the carrier door 116 is accessibleby the chamber door 138, and so that the carrier door 116 may passthrough the opening in the moveable frame 154 and the opening 136 in thedivider wall 134.

The moveable frame 154 may be permitted to slide and/or otherwise movealong a set of tracks 156. The track(s) 156 may be mounted, connected,attached, and/or supported by the divider wall 134. The track(s) 156 mayinclude one or more tracks, one or more rails, one or more tubes, rollerbearings, or there types of structures that permit the moveable frame154 to slide and/or otherwise move based on movement of a moveableplatform 146. The track(s) 156 may include one or more elongated membersthat extend parallel to the direction of travel of the moveable frame154. The length of the elongated members may be greater than the lengthof the moveable frame 154 to permit the moveable frame to move along thetrack(s) 156.

In some implementations, the docking device 108 includes one or moresensors (e.g., proximity sensors, hall effect sensors, or other types ofsensors) configured to detect and/or indicate whether the carrier door116, the opening in the moveable frame 154, and the opening 136 arealigned. In some implementations, the one or more sensors cause anindication (e.g., a visual indication, an audible indication, or anothertype of indication) to be presented to an operator if the moveableplatform 146 is manually operated by the operator. In someimplementations, the one or more sensors automatically cause themovement of the moveable platform 146 to stop based on detecting ordetermining that alignment between the carrier door 116, the opening inthe moveable frame 154, and the opening 136. In some implementations,the one or more sensors automatically provide a signal, a message, oranother type of indicator to a processor or controller of the dockingdevice 108 based on detecting or determining that alignment between thecarrier door 116, the opening in the moveable frame 154, and the opening136, and the processor or controller automatically causes the movementof the moveable platform 146 to stop based on the indicator.

The wafer transport tool 124 may transfer semiconductor wafers betweenthe transport carrier 112 and the semiconductor processing tool 102after the air-tight seal is formed around the transport carrier 112 bythe sealing component 152, and after the chamber door 138 is opened. Forexample, the wafer transport tool 124 may obtain and/or retrieve asemiconductor wafer from the transport carrier 112 through the opening136 in the divider wall 134 and through the opening 126, and may providethe semiconductor wafer to the semiconductor processing tool 102 throughthe opening 128. As another example, the wafer transport tool 124 mayobtain a semiconductor wafer from the semiconductor processing tool 102through the opening 128, and may provide the semiconductor wafer to thetransport carrier 112 through the opening 126 and the opening 136 in thedivider wall 134.

In this way, with the carrier door 116 removed and the chamber door 138in the open position, air-tight seals are formed between the body 114 ofthe transport carrier 112 and the side wall on which the opening 126 islocated. In particular, an air-tight seal may be formed between the body114 of the transport carrier 112 and the sealing component 152, anair-tight seal may be formed between the sealing component 152 and themoveable frame 154, an air-tight seal may be formed between the moveableframe and a side of the divider wall 134, an air-tight seal may beformed between the divider wall 134 and the top, bottom, and sides ofthe first chamber 130 and the second chamber 132. This provides anair-tight seal from the transport carrier 112 through the second chamber132 and to the opening 128. The air-tight seal from the transportcarrier 112 through the second chamber 132 and to the opening 128permits the transport carrier 112 to be accessed without exposing thesemiconductor wafers that are between the transport carrier 112 and thesemiconductor processing tool 102 to contaminants in the examplesemiconductor processing environment 100.

As indicated above, FIG. 1 is provided as an example. Other examples maydiffer from what is described with regard to FIG. 1 .

FIGS. 2A-2F are diagrams of example implementations of the sealingcomponent 152 for forming an air-tight seal around a transport carrier112 described herein. FIG. 2A illustrates perspective views of exampleimplementations 210 and 220 of the sealing component 152 in which thesealing component 152 includes four portions: a portion 152 a, a portion152 b, a portion 152 c, and a portion 152 d. Example implementation 210illustrates an example of the sealing component 152 in an expandedconfiguration, where the portion 152 a, the portion 152 b, the portion152 c, and the portion 152 d are not contracted around the body 114 ofthe transport carrier 112. In this configuration, the portion 152 a, theportion 152 b, the portion 152 c, and the portion 152 d may spaced awayfrom the body 114 of the transport carrier 112 at a distance thatpermits the door 140 and the body 114 of the transport carrier 112 tofit through an opening 212 formed by the portion 152 a, the portion 152b, the portion 152 c, and the portion 152 d. The opening 212 may bereferred to as an airflow/vacuum hole.

As further shown in the example implementation 220 in FIG. 2A, thesealing component 152 may transition to a contracted configuration, inwhich the portion 152 a, the portion 152 b, the portion 152 c, and theportion 152 d are contracted around the body 114 of the transportcarrier 112 to form the air-tight seal around the transport carrier 112.

FIG. 2B illustrates an elevation view of an example implementation 230,which shows a first position 240 of the portion 152 a, the portion 152b, the portion 152 c, and the portion 152 d, and a second position 250of the portion 152 a, the portion 152 b, the portion 152 c, and theportion 152 d. The first position 240 may correspond to the expandedconfiguration illustrated in the example implementation 210 of FIG. 2A,and the second position 250 may correspond to the contractedconfiguration illustrated in the example implementation 220 of FIG. 2A.

As shown in FIG. 2B, in some implementations, the portion 152 a, theportion 152 b, the portion 152 c, and the portion 152 d may eachtransition between the first position 240 and the second position 250.For example, the portion 152 a may move downward from the first position240 to the second position 250, and may move upward from the secondposition 250 to the first position 240. As another example, the portion152 b may move upward from the first position 240 to the second position250, and may move downward from the second position 250 to the firstposition 240. As another example, the portion 152 c and the portion 152d may each move inward from the first position 240 to the secondposition 250, and may each move outward from the second position 250 tothe first position 240. In some implementations, one or more of theportion 152 a, the portion 152 b, the portion 152 c, or the portion 152d transition between the first position 240 and the second position 250in a non-linear path of travel. In some implementations, one or more ofthe portion 152 a, the portion 152 b, the portion 152 c, or the portion152 d transition between the first position 240 and the second position250 in a non-linear path of travel.

As further shown in FIG. 2B, in the example implementation 230, theportion 152 a may cover a first portion of the top of the transportcarrier 112, a first portion of a first side of the transport carrier112, and a first portion of a second side of the transport carrier 112opposing the first side. The portion 152 b may cover a first portion ofthe bottom of the transport carrier 112, a second portion of the firstside of the transport carrier 112, and a second portion of the secondside of the transport carrier 112. The portion 152 c may cover a secondportion of the top of the transport carrier 112, a third portion of afirst side of the transport carrier 112, and a second portion of thebottom of the transport carrier 112. The portion 152 d may cover a thirdportion of the top of the transport carrier 112, a third portion of afirst side of the transport carrier 112, and a third portion of thebottom of the transport carrier 112.

The first portion of the top covered by the portion 152 a, the secondportion of the top covered by the portion 152 c, and the third portionof the top covered by the portion 152 d may substantially encompass theentire top of the transport carrier 112. The first portion of the bottomcovered by the portion 152 b, the second portion of the bottom coveredby the portion 152 c, and the third portion of the top covered by theportion 152 d may substantially encompass the entire bottom of thetransport carrier 112. The first portion of the first side covered bythe portion 152 a, the second portion of the first side covered by theportion 152 b, and the third portion of the first side covered by theportion 152 c may substantially encompass the entire first side of thetransport carrier 112. The first portion of the second side covered bythe portion 152 a, the second portion of the second side covered by theportion 152 b, and the third portion of the second covered by theportion 152 d may substantially encompass the entire second side of thetransport carrier 112. Other example implementations of the sealingcomponent 152 having four portions may be used with the docking device108.

FIG. 2C illustrates an elevation view of an example implementation 260.In the example implementation 260, the sealing component 152 includes aplurality of portions: a portion 152 a and a second portion 152 b. Theportion 152 a may cover substantially the entire top of the transportcarrier 112, a first portion of a first side of the transport carrier112, and a first portion of a second side of the transport carrier 112opposing the first side. The portion 152 b may cover substantially theentire bottom of the transport carrier 112, a second portion of thefirst side of the transport carrier 112, and a second portion of thesecond side of the transport carrier 112. The first portion of the firstside covered by the portion 152 a, and the second portion of the firstside covered by the portion 152 b may substantially encompass the entirefirst side of the transport carrier 112. The first portion of the secondside covered by the portion 152 a, and the second portion of the secondside covered by the portion 152 b may substantially encompass the entiresecond side of the transport carrier 112.

FIG. 2D illustrates an elevation view of an example implementation 270.In the example implementation 270, the sealing component 152 includes aplurality of portions: a portion 152 a and a second portion 152 b. Theportion 152 a may cover substantially an entire first side of thetransport carrier 112, a first portion of the top of the transportcarrier 112, and a first portion of the bottom of the transport carrier112. The portion 152 b may cover substantially an entire second side ofthe transport carrier 112 opposing the first side, a second portion ofthe top of the transport carrier 112, and a second portion of the bottomof the transport carrier 112. The first portion of the top covered bythe portion 152 a, and the second portion of the top covered by theportion 152 b may substantially encompass the entire top of thetransport carrier 112. The first portion of the bottom covered by theportion 152 a, and the second portion of the bottom covered by theportion 152 b may substantially encompass the entire bottom of thetransport carrier 112.

FIG. 2E illustrates an elevation view of an example implementation 280.In the example implementation 280, the sealing component 152 includes aplurality of portions: a portion 152 a and a portion 152 b. As shown inFIG. 2E, in the example implementation 280, the portion 152 a may coversubstantially the entire top of the transport carrier 112 andsubstantially an entire first side of the transport carrier 112. Theportion 152 b may cover substantially the entire bottom of the transportcarrier 112 and substantially an entire second side of the transportcarrier 112 opposing the first side. Other example implementations ofthe sealing component 152 having four portions may be used with thedocking device 108.

FIG. 2F illustrates an elevation view of an example implementation 290.In the example implementation 290, the sealing component 152 includes aplurality of portions: a portion 152 a, a portion 152 b, and a portion152 c. The portion 152 a may cover a first portion of the top of thetransport carrier 112 and substantially an entire first side of thetransport carrier 112. The portion 152 b may cover a second portion ofthe top side of the transport carrier 112 and substantially an entiresecond side of the transport carrier 112 opposing the first side. Theportion 152 c may cover the entire bottom of the transport carrier 112.Other example implementations of the sealing component 152 having threeportions may be used with the docking device 108.

As indicated above, FIGS. 2A-2F are provided as examples. Other examplesmay differ from what is described with regard to FIGS. 2A-2F. In someimplementations, the sealing component 152 may include five or moreportions in various configurations different from those describedherein.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of portion 300 of the example semiconductorprocessing environment 100 of FIG. 1 , described herein. As shown inFIG. 3 , the portion 300 may include the divider wall 134, the chamberdoor 138, a moveable platform 146, a shuttle tray 148, one or morelatches 150, the sealing component 152, the moveable frame 154, and thetrack(s) 156.

The divider wall 134 may include an elongated body in which the opening136 is included. The track(s) 156 may be attached, connected, and/orotherwise mounted to a side of the elongated body of the divider wall134. The moveable frame 154 may be mounted to and/or interfaced with thetrack(s) 156. The moveable frame 154 may include a substantially planarbody that permits the moveable frame 154 to move along the track(s) 156substantially parallel to the elongated body of the divider wall 134.

The sealing component 152 may include a plurality of portions, such asportion 152 a, portion 152 b, portion 152 c, and portion 152 d. Thesealing component 152 (or the portions thereof) may be attached,connected, and/or otherwise mounted to a side of the elongated body ofthe moveable frame 154, such as the side of the elongated body of themoveable frame 154 opposing the side of the elongated body of themoveable frame 154 that is orientated and/or facing toward the dividerwall 134. The sealing component 152 may be attached, connected, and/orotherwise mounted to the moveable frame 154 in a manner that permits theportions of the sealing component 152 to expand and contract between afirst position 240 and a second position 250 to form or release anair-seal around a transport carrier 112.

The body 114 of the transport carrier 112 may be positioned on theshuttle tray 148 above the moveable platform 146. The one or morelatches 150 of the moveable platform 146 may extend away from themoveable platform 146 and toward the moveable frame 154. The one or morelatches 150 include one or more tabs, hooks, pins, or other structuresthat connect with one or more connectors 302 included on the moveableframe 154. With the one or more latches 150 connected with the one ormore connectors 302, movement of the moveable platform 146 may cause themoveable frame 154 to move along the track(s) 156.

As further shown in FIG. 3 , the portion 300 may include the chamberdoor 138. The chamber door 138 may include an elongated body that issubstantially parallel to the elongated body of the divider wall 134.Moreover, the chamber door 138 may include a mounting plate 304attached, connected, and/or otherwise mounted to a support structure306. The support structure 306 may be attached, connected, and/orotherwise mounted to the elongated body of the chamber door 138. Themounting plate 304 and the support structure 306 may be attached,connected, and/or otherwise mounted to a side of the elongated body ofthe chamber door 138 that faces the divider wall 134. In this way, themounting plate 304 faces the opening 136 in the divider wall 134. Inparticular, the mounting plate and the support structure 306 may bemounted to the side of the chamber door 138 that faces the side of thedivider wall 134 that opposes the side of the divider wall 134 on whichthe track(s) 156, the moveable frame 154, and the sealing component 152are mounted.

The mounting plate 304 may be configured to remove a carrier door 116from the body 114 of the transport carrier 112. The mounting plate 304may be configured to hold and/or support the carrier door 116 when thechamber door 138 moves between the closed position and the openposition. The mounting plate 304 may be configured to place the carrierdoor 116 onto the body 114 of the transport carrier 112. The mountingplate 304 may include one or more vacuum holes 308 and one or more latchkeys 310. The vacuum holes 308 may be connected to tube(s), plumbingfixture(s), and/or one or more other components that are configured topull air through the vacuum holes 308 to form a negative pressure on theface of the mounting plate 304 near the vacuum holes 308. The negativepressure may form a suction or a vacuum seal between the mounting plate304 and the carrier door 116. The mounting plate 304 may hold and/orsupport the carrier door 116 based on the negative pressure generatedthrough the vacuum holes 308.

The latch key(s) 310 may be configured to unlatch the carrier door 116from the body 114 of the transport carrier 112. For example, the latchkey(s) 310 may include a key, an elongated member, or another componentthat is configured to open a door latch and/or a door lock on thecarrier door 116. In some implementations, the mounting plate 304includes a single latch key 310 (e.g., on a side of the mounting plate304 or substantially near a center of the mounting plate 304). In someimplementations, the mounting plate 304 includes a plurality of latchkeys 310 substantially near one or more edges of the mounting plate 304.

The support structure 306 may include a jack (e.g., a scissor jack, ahydraulic jack, a pneumatic jack, or another type of jack), a screwmechanism, a rail system, or another type of structure configured toextend the mounting plate 304 away from the elongated body of thechamber door 138 and contract the mounting plate 304 toward theelongated body of the chamber door 138. In this way, the supportstructure 306 may extend the mounting plate 304 toward and/or throughthe opening 136 in the divider wall 134 to remove the carrier door 116from the transport carrier 112, may contract the mounting plate 304after removing the carrier door 116 so that the chamber door 138 may bemoved to the opened position, and may extend the mounting plate 304toward transport carrier 112 to place the carrier door 116 onto thetransport carrier 112.

As indicated above, FIG. 3 is provided as an example. Other examples maydiffer from what is described with regard to FIG. 3 .

FIGS. 4A-4K are diagrams of one or more example implementations 400described herein. The example implementation(s) 400 may include one ormore example implementations illustrating various operations of thedocking device 108 and other tools included in the example semiconductorprocessing environment 100. As shown in FIG. 4A, a transport carrier 112may be placed on the shuttle platform 110 of the load port 104. Forexample, a mobile robot, an OHT, or another transport tool may place thetransport carrier 112 on the shuttle platform 110.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the door 140 on the side of the first chamber 130may be opened to provide access to the docking device 108 through anopening 402 in the first chamber 130. As further shown in FIG. 4B, themoveable platforms 146 may move (e.g., downward in the first chamber130) to align an empty moveable platform 146 with the opening 402 inpreparation for the transport carrier 112 on the shuttle platform 110 tobe placed on the empty moveable platform 146.

As shown in FIG. 4C, the shuttle platform 110 may slide or otherwisemove toward the opening 402 in the first chamber 130 such that thetransport carrier 112 is fully inserted into the first chamber 130through the opening 402 and placed on the empty moveable platform 146.In particular, the transport carrier 112 may be placed on the shuttletray 148 of the empty moveable platform 146. In some implementations,the door 140 may be moved to close the opening 402 after the transportcarrier 112 is placed on the empty moveable platform 146. In someimplementations, the door 140 may remain in place such that the opening402 remains cleared after the transport carrier 112 is placed on theempty moveable platform 146.

As shown in FIG. 4D, the moveable platforms 146 may move (e.g., upwardin the first chamber 130) to align the transport carrier 112 with thesealing component 152 and/or the opening in the moveable frame 154 inpreparation for the transport carrier 112 to be accessed by the wafertransport tool 124.

As shown in FIG. 4E, with the transport carrier 112 aligned with thesealing component 152 and/or the opening in the moveable frame 154, theshuttle tray 148 may slide or otherwise extend toward the sealingcomponent 152 such that the carrier door 116 is placed at leastpartially through the opening in the moveable frame 154, and such thatportions of the sealing component 152 are around the body 114 of thetransport carrier 112.

Moreover, the one or more latches 150, of the moveable platform 146 onwhich the transport carrier 112 is positioned, may extend away from themoveable platform 146 and toward the moveable frame 154. The one or morelatches 150 may connect with one or more connectors 302 of the moveableframe 154 to permit the movement of the moveable platform 146 to causethe moveable frame 154 to move in synchronization with the moveableplatform 146.

With the portions of the sealing component 152 around a portion of thebody 114, the sealing component 152 may contract around the transportcarrier 112 to form an air-tight seal around the body 114 of thetransport carrier 112. In particular, the air-tight seal may be formedbetween the sealing component 152 and the transport carrier 112. In thisway, the area around the transport carrier 112 is sealed to reduce,minimize, and/or eliminate the flow of contaminants from the examplesemiconductor processing environment 100 through the opening in themoveable frame 154 and the opening 136 in the divider wall 134, and intothe second chamber 132. The portions of the sealing component 152 maytransition from a first position 240 (e.g., corresponding to an expandedconfiguration) to a second position 250 (e.g., corresponding to acontracted configuration) to form the air-tight seal around the body 114of the transport carrier 112.

As shown in FIG. 4F, with the air-tight seal formed around the transportcarrier 112 by the sealing component 152, the chamber door 138 mayremove the carrier door 116 from the transport carrier 112. For example,the support structure 306 may extend the mounting plate 304 toward thecarrier door 116 through the opening 136 in the divider wall 134. Theone or more latch keys 310 on the mounting plate 304 may unlatch thecarrier door 116 from the body 114 of the transport carrier 112. Thevacuum holes 308 on the mounting plate 304 may form a vacuum sealbetween the carrier door 116 and the mounting plate 304. With the vacuumseal formed, the support structure 306 may contract the mounting plate304 (with the carrier door 116 supported and/or held thereon) toward thechamber door 138.

As further shown in FIG. 4F, the chamber door 138 may slide and/orotherwise move backward away from the divider wall 134 and toward theopening 126, which removes the air-tight seal between divider wall 134and the chamber door 138. In particular, the chamber door 138 may slideand/or otherwise move backward away from the divider wall 134 and towardthe opening 126 after removing the carrier door 116 from the transportcarrier 112 and contracting the mounting plate 304 toward the chamberdoor 138. The chamber door 138 may slide and/or otherwise move backwardaway from the divider wall 134 a sufficient distance to permit thecarrier door 116 to clear the divider wall 134 when the chamber door 138slides and/or otherwise moves downward into the second chamber 132.

As shown in FIG. 4G, the chamber door 138 may slide and/or otherwisemove out of the way of the opening 136 in the divider wall 134 such thatthe wafer transport tool 124 is permitted to access the transportcarrier 112 through the opening 136 in the divider wall 134. In someimplementations, the chamber door 138 slides and/or otherwise movesdownward within the second chamber 132. In some implementations, thechamber door 138 slides and/or otherwise moves upward within the secondchamber 132. In some implementations, the chamber door 138 slides and/orotherwise moves to a side within the second chamber 132. In someimplementations, the chamber door 138 slides and/or otherwise moves in acombination of directions within the second chamber 132.

As shown in FIG. 4H, the wafer transport tool 124 of the interface tool106 may retrieve and/or obtain a wafer 404 from the transport carrier112 through the opening 136 in the divider wall 134 and through theopening 126. In this way, the wafer transport tool 124 retrieves and/orobtains the wafer 404 from the transport carrier 112 while the air-tightseal is formed around the transport carrier 112 by the sealing component152. As shown in FIG. 4I, the wafer transport tool 124 may retract thewafer 404 through the opening 136 in the divider wall 134 and throughthe opening 126 into the chamber 118 of the interface tool 106. As shownin FIG. 4J, the wafer transport tool 124 may provide the wafer 404 tothe semiconductor processing tool 102 through the opening 128. The wafer404 may be processed by the semiconductor processing tool 102 throughone or more semiconductor processing operations. The operationsdescribed above may be performed in a reverse order to place the wafer404 back into the transport carrier 112.

As shown in FIG. 4K, the moveable platforms 146 may move in the firstchamber 130 while the carrier door 116 of the transport carrier 112 isremoved. This may permit other transport carriers 112 to be removed fromthe first chamber 130 and/or to permit other transport carriers 112 tobe added to the first chamber 130 while semiconductor wafers of thetransport carrier 112 are being processed by the semiconductorprocessing tool 102. This may further increase the efficiency andthroughput of the semiconductor processing tool 102 and/or theefficiency and throughput of the docking device 108, as the dockingdevice 108 may continue to be loaded and unloaded without stopping theproductivity of the semiconductor processing tool 102.

As indicated above, FIGS. 4A-4K are provided as examples. Other examplesmay differ from what is described with regard to FIGS. 4A-4K.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of example components of a device 500. In someimplementations, one or more devices and/or tools of the examplesemiconductor processing environment 100 (e.g., the semiconductorprocessing tool 102, the load port 104, the interface tool 106, and/orthe multiple transport carrier docking device 108) may include one ormore devices 500 and/or one or more components of device 500. As shownin FIG. 5 , device 500 may include a bus 510, a processor 520, a memory530, a storage component 540, an input component 550, an outputcomponent 560, and a communication component 570.

Bus 510 includes a component that enables wired and/or wirelesscommunication among the components of device 500. Processor 520 includesa central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, a microprocessor,a controller, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor, afield-programmable gate array, an application-specific integratedcircuit, and/or another type of processing component. Processor 520 isimplemented in hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware andsoftware. In some implementations, processor 520 includes one or moreprocessors capable of being programmed to perform a function. Memory 530includes a random access memory, a read only memory, and/or another typeof memory (e.g., a flash memory, a magnetic memory, and/or an opticalmemory).

Storage component 540 stores information and/or software related to theoperation of device 500. For example, storage component 540 may includea hard disk drive, a magnetic disk drive, an optical disk drive, a solidstate disk drive, a compact disc, a digital versatile disc, and/oranother type of non-transitory computer-readable medium. Input component550 enables device 500 to receive input, such as user input and/orsensed inputs. For example, input component 550 may include a touchscreen, a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a button, a microphone, a switch,a sensor, a global positioning system component, an accelerometer, agyroscope, and/or an actuator. Output component 560 enables device 500to provide output, such as via a display, a speaker, and/or one or morelight-emitting diodes. Communication component 570 enables device 500 tocommunicate with other devices, such as via a wired connection and/or awireless connection. For example, communication component 570 mayinclude a receiver, a transmitter, a transceiver, a modem, a networkinterface card, and/or an antenna.

Device 500 may perform one or more processes described herein. Forexample, a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 530and/or storage component 540) may store a set of instructions (e.g., oneor more instructions, code, software code, and/or program code) forexecution by processor 520. Processor 520 may execute the set ofinstructions to perform one or more processes described herein. In someimplementations, execution of the set of instructions, by one or moreprocessors 520, causes the one or more processors 520 and/or the device500 to perform one or more processes described herein. In someimplementations, hardwired circuitry may be used instead of or incombination with the instructions to perform one or more processesdescribed herein. Thus, implementations described herein are not limitedto any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.

The number and arrangement of components shown in FIG. 5 are provided asan example. Device 500 may include additional components, fewercomponents, different components, or differently arranged componentsthan those shown in FIG. 5 . Additionally, or alternatively, a set ofcomponents (e.g., one or more components) of device 500 may perform oneor more functions described as being performed by another set ofcomponents of device 500.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an example process 600 associated withaccessing a transport carrier. In some implementations, one or moreprocess blocks of FIG. 6 may be performed by a multiple transportcarrier docking device (e.g., the multiple transport carrier dockingdevice 108). In some implementations, one or more process blocks of FIG.6 may be performed by another device or a group of devices separate fromor including the multiple transport carrier docking device, such as asemiconductor processing tool 102, a load port 104, an interface tool106, and/or another device. Additionally, or alternatively, one or moreprocess blocks of FIG. 6 may be performed by one or more components ofdevice 500, such as processor 520, memory 530, storage component 540,input component 550, output component 560, and/or communicationcomponent 570.

As shown in FIG. 6 , process 600 may include positioning a transportcarrier on a moveable platform of a plurality of moveable platformsincluded in a first chamber of a multiple transport carrier dockingdevice (block 610). For example, the load port 104 (e.g., using theshuttle platform 110) may position the transport carrier 112 on amoveable platform 146 of a plurality of moveable platforms 146 includedin the first chamber 130 of the multiple transport carrier dockingdevice 108, as described above.

As further shown in FIG. 6 , process 600 may include contracting asealing component of the multiple transport carrier docking devicearound the transport carrier to form an air-tight seal around thetransport carrier (block 620). For example, the multiple transportcarrier docking device 108 may contract the sealing component 152 of themultiple transport carrier docking device 108 around the transportcarrier 112 to form an air-tight seal around the transport carrier 112,as described above.

As further shown in FIG. 6 , process 600 may include, after forming theair-tight seal around the transport carrier, removing a carrier door ofthe transport carrier and opening a chamber door of the multipletransport carrier docking device to permit access to the transportcarrier through an opening in a divider wall between the first chamberand a second chamber of the multiple transport carrier docking device(block 630). For example, the multiple transport carrier docking device108 may, after forming the air-tight seal around the transport carrier112, remove the carrier door 116 of the transport carrier 112 and mayopen the chamber door 138 of the multiple transport carrier dockingdevice 108 to permit access to the transport carrier 112 through theopening 136 in the divider wall 134 between the first chamber 130 andthe second chamber 132 of the multiple transport carrier docking device108, as described above.

As further shown in FIG. 6 , process 600 may include accessing, using awafer transport tool with the multiple transport carrier docking device,the transport carrier while the air-tight seal is around the transportcarrier (block 640). For example, the interface tool 106 may access,using the wafer transport tool 124 associated with the multipletransport carrier docking device 108, the transport carrier 112 whilethe air-tight seal is around the transport carrier 112, as describedabove.

Process 600 may include additional implementations, such as any singleimplementation or any combination of implementations described belowand/or in connection with one or more other processes describedelsewhere herein.

In a first implementation, accessing the transport carrier 112 includesretrieving a wafer 404 from the transport carrier 112 through theopening 136 and through the second chamber 132 while the air-tight sealis around the transport carrier 112, and providing the wafer 404 to asemiconductor processing tool 102. In a second implementation, alone orin combination with the first implementation, process 600 includessliding, using a shuttle tray 148 on the moveable platform, 146 thetransport carrier 112 toward the sealing component 152, and contractingthe sealing component 152 around the transport carrier 112 to form theair-tight seal around the transport carrier 112 includes contracting thesealing component 152 around the transport carrier 112 to form theair-tight seal around the transport carrier 112 after sliding thetransport carrier toward 112 the sealing component 152.

In a third implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first and second implementations, process 600 includes extending alatch 150 of the moveable platform 146 toward a moveable frame 154 towhich the sealing component 152 is mounted, and inserting the latch 150into a connector 302 on the moveable frame 154, and moving the moveableplatform 146 while the latch 150 is inserted into the connector 302. Ina fourth implementation, alone or in combination with one or more of thefirst through third implementations, moving the moveable platform 146while the latch 150 is inserted into the connector 302 causes themoveable frame 154 to move along with the moveable platform 146.

In a fifth implementation, alone or in combination with one or more ofthe first through fourth implementations, moving the moveable platform146 while the latch 150 is inserted into the connector 302 includesmoving the moveable platform 146 while the latch 150 is inserted intothe connector 302 to orientate the transport carrier 112 in front of theopening 136 in the divider wall 134. In a sixth implementation, alone orin combination with one or more of the first through fifthimplementations, removing the carrier door 116 of the transport carrier112 includes pressing a mounting plate 304, attached to the chamber door138, against the carrier door 116, unlatching, using a latch key 310included on the mounting plate 304, the carrier door 116 from a body 114of the transport carrier 112, forming a vacuum seal between the mountingplate 304 and the carrier door 116, and retracting the mounting plate304 toward the chamber door 138 while the vacuum seal is between themounting plate 304 and the carrier door 116.

Although FIG. 6 shows example blocks of process 600, in someimplementations, process 600 may include additional blocks, fewerblocks, different blocks, or differently arranged blocks than thosedepicted in FIG. 6 . Additionally, or alternatively, two or more of theblocks of process 600 may be performed in parallel.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an example process 700 associated withaccessing a transport carrier. In some implementations, one or moreprocess blocks of FIG. 7 may be performed by a multiple transportcarrier docking device (e.g., the multiple transport carrier dockingdevice 108). In some implementations, one or more process blocks of FIG.7 may be performed by another device or a group of devices separate fromor including the multiple transport carrier docking device, such as asemiconductor processing tool 102, a load port 104, an interface tool106, and/or another device. Additionally, or alternatively, one or moreprocess blocks of FIG. 7 may be performed by one or more components ofdevice 500, such as processor 520, memory 530, storage component 540,input component 550, output component 560, and/or communicationcomponent 570.

As shown in FIG. 7 , process 700 may include retrieving, using a wafertransport tool, a wafer from a semiconductor processing tool (block710). For example, the interface tool may retrieve, using the wafertransport tool 124, the wafer 404 from the semiconductor processing tool102, as described above.

As further shown in FIG. 7 , process 700 may include providing, usingthe wafer transport tool, the wafer to a transport carrier positioned ona moveable platform of a plurality of moveable platforms included in afirst chamber of a multiple transport carrier docking device while afirst air-tight seal is formed around the transport carrier by a sealingcomponent of the multiple transport carrier docking device (block 720).For example, the interface tool 106 may provide, using the wafertransport tool 124, the wafer 404 to the transport carrier 112positioned on the moveable platform 146 of the plurality of moveableplatforms 146 included in the first chamber 130 of the multipletransport carrier docking device 108 while a first air-tight seal isformed around the transport carrier 112 by the sealing component 152 ofthe multiple transport carrier docking device 108, as described above.

As further shown in FIG. 7 , process 700 may include placing a carrierdoor onto the transport carrier while the first air-tight seal is aroundthe front portion of the transport carrier (block 730). For example, themultiple transport carrier docking device 108 may place (e.g., using thechamber door 138) the carrier door 116 onto the transport carrier 112while the first air-tight seal is around the front portion of thetransport carrier 112, as described above.

As further shown in FIG. 7 , process 700 may include placing a chamberdoor against divider wall between the first chamber and a second chamberof the multiple transport carrier docking device to close an opening inthe divider wall and to form a second air-tight seal between the chamberdoor and the divider wall (block 740). For example, the multipletransport carrier docking device 108 may place the chamber door 138against the divider wall 134 between the first chamber 130 and thesecond chamber 132 of the multiple transport carrier docking device 108to close the opening 136 in the divider wall 134 and to form a secondair-tight seal between the chamber door 138 and the divider wall 134, asdescribed above.

As further shown in FIG. 7 , process 700 may include retracting thesealing component to remove the first air-tight seal around thetransport carrier after the second air-tight seal is formed (block 750).For example, the multiple transport carrier docking device 108 mayretract the sealing component 152 to remove the first air-tight sealaround the transport carrier 112 after the second air-tight seal isformed, as described above.

Process 700 may include additional implementations, such as any singleimplementation or any combination of implementations described belowand/or in connection with one or more other processes describedelsewhere herein.

In a first implementation, process 700 includes moving the plurality ofmoveable platforms 146 in the first chamber 130 such that anothertransport carrier 112 on another movable platform 146 of the pluralityof moveable platforms 146 is positioned in front of the opening 136 inthe divider wall 134, contracting the sealing component 152 around theother transport carrier 112 to form a third air-tight seal around theother transport carrier 112, after forming the third air-tight sealaround the other transport carrier 112 removing another carrier door 116of the other transport carrier 112, and opening the chamber door 138 toremove the second air-tight seal to permit access to the other transportcarrier 112 through the opening 136 in the divider wall 134, andaccessing, using the wafer transport tool 124, the other transportcarrier 112 while the third air-tight seal is around the other transportcarrier 112.

Although FIG. 7 shows example blocks of process 700, in someimplementations, process 700 may include additional blocks, fewerblocks, different blocks, or differently arranged blocks than thosedepicted in FIG. 7 . Additionally, or alternatively, two or more of theblocks of process 700 may be performed in parallel.

In this way, a multiple transport carrier docking device may bepositioned between a load port and an interface tool to reduce and/orminimize cross contamination of semiconductor wafers that aretransferred between the load port and an associated semiconductorprocessing tool. The multiple transport carrier docking device may becapable of storing and/or staging a plurality of transport carriers in achamber of the multiple transport carrier docking device, and may becapable of forming an air-tight seal around a transport carrier in thechamber. Semiconductor wafers in the transport carrier may be accessedby a transport tool while the air-tight seal around the transportcarrier prevents and/or reduces the likelihood that contaminants in thesemiconductor fabrication facility will reach the semiconductor wafers.The air-tight seal around the transport carrier may reduce defects ofthe semiconductor wafers that might otherwise be caused by thecontaminants, may increase manufacturing yield and quality in thesemiconductor fabrication facility, and/or may permit the continuedreduction in device and/or feature sizes of integrated circuits and/orsemiconductor devices that are to be formed on semiconductor wafers.

As described in greater detail above, some implementations describedherein provide a multiple transport carrier docking device. The multipletransport carrier docking device includes a first chamber configured tostore a plurality of transport carriers. The multiple transport carrierdocking device includes a second chamber. The multiple transport carrierdocking device includes a divider wall between the first chamber and thesecond chamber. where the divider wall includes an opening between thefirst chamber and the second chamber. The multiple transport carrierdocking device includes a chamber door configured to form an air-tightseal against the divider wall and around the opening.

As described in greater detail above, some implementations describedherein provide a method. The method includes positioning a transportcarrier on a moveable platform of a plurality of moveable platformsincluded in a first chamber of a multiple transport carrier dockingdevice. The method includes contracting a sealing component of themultiple transport carrier docking device around the transport carrierto form an air-tight seal around the transport carrier. The methodincludes after forming the air-tight seal around the transport carrierremoving a carrier door of the transport carrier, and opening a chamberdoor of the multiple transport carrier docking device to permit accessto the transport carrier through an opening in a divider wall betweenthe first chamber and a second chamber of the multiple transport carrierdocking device. The method includes accessing, using a wafer transporttool associated with the multiple transport carrier docking device, thetransport carrier while the air-tight seal is around the transportcarrier.

As described in greater detail above, some implementations describedherein provide a multiple transport carrier docking device. The multipletransport carrier docking device includes a first chamber configured tostore a plurality of transport carriers. The multiple transport carrierdocking device includes a second chamber adjacent to the first chamber.The multiple transport carrier docking device includes a divider wallbetween the first chamber and the second chamber, where the divider wallincludes an opening between the first chamber and the second chamber.The multiple transport carrier docking device includes a chamber door,included in the second chamber, configured to form a first air-tightseal against the divider wall and around the opening. The multipletransport carrier docking device includes a sealing component, includedin the first chamber, configured to form a second air-tight seal betweenthe first chamber and a transport carrier in the first chamber.

As described in greater detail above, some implementations describedherein provide a method. The method includes retrieving, using a wafertransport tool, a wafer from a semiconductor processing tool. The methodincludes providing, using the wafer transport tool, the wafer to atransport carrier positioned on a moveable platform of a plurality ofmoveable platforms included in a first chamber of a multiple transportcarrier docking device while a first air-tight seal is formed around thetransport carrier by a sealing component of the multiple transportcarrier docking device. The method includes placing a carrier door ontothe transport carrier while the first air-tight seal is around the frontportion of the transport carrier. The method includes placing a chamberdoor against a divider wall between the first chamber and a secondchamber of the multiple transport carrier docking device to close anopening in the divider wall and to form a second air-tight seal betweenthe chamber door and the divider wall. The method includes retractingthe sealing component to remove the first air-tight seal around thetransport carrier after the second air-tight seal is formed.

The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that thoseskilled in the art may better understand the aspects of the presentdisclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they mayreadily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifyingother processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/orachieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein.Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalentconstructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the presentdisclosure, and that they may make various changes, substitutions, andalterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A multiple transport carrier docking device,comprising: a chamber configured to store a plurality of transportcarriers; a vertical wall comprising an opening; and a sealingcomponent, included in the chamber, configured to form a continuousair-tight seal between the chamber and a transport carrier, of theplurality of transport carriers, in the chamber, wherein the transportcarrier is configured to be moved horizontally toward the vertical wall,and wherein a first portion of the sealing component is configured totransition horizontally inward in parallel with the vertical wall and asecond portion of the sealing component is configured to transitionvertically inward in parallel with the vertical wall, and wherein thefirst portion and the second portion are configured to transition from afirst position to a second position to form the continuous air-tightseal between the chamber and the transport carrier.
 2. The multipletransport carrier docking device of claim 1, wherein the second portionis configured to transition downward from the first position to thesecond position to form the continuous air-tight seal between thechamber and the transport carrier.
 3. The multiple transport carrierdocking device of claim 1, further comprising: a movable platformconfigured to move the transport carrier within the chamber.
 4. Themultiple transport carrier docking device of claim 1, furthercomprising: a chamber door configured to remove a carrier door from thetransport carrier.
 5. The multiple transport carrier docking device ofclaim 4, wherein the chamber is a first chamber; wherein the chamberdoor is located within a second chamber; and wherein the chamber door isfurther configured to: move away from the opening after removing thecarrier door from the transport carrier.
 6. The multiple transportcarrier docking device of claim 5, wherein the chamber door, when movingaway from the opening, is configured to: slide downward within thesecond chamber.
 7. The multiple transport carrier docking device ofclaim 5, further comprising: a wafer transport tool configured to obtaina wafer from the transport carrier through the opening.
 8. The multipletransport carrier docking device of claim 4, further comprising: aplurality of movable platforms configured to move the plurality oftransport carriers, wherein a movable platform, of the plurality ofmovable platforms, is configured to move another transport carrier, ofthe plurality of transport carriers, within the chamber while thecarrier door is removed from the transport carrier.
 9. A method,comprising: positioning a transport carrier on a moveable platform of aplurality of moveable platforms included in a chamber of a multipletransport carrier docking device by moving the transport carrierhorizontally toward an opening of a vertical wall; contracting a sealingcomponent of the multiple transport carrier docking device around thetransport carrier to form a continuous air-tight seal around thetransport carrier, wherein a first portion of the sealing component isconfigured to transition horizontally inward in parallel with thevertical wall and a second portion of the sealing component isconfigured to transition vertically inward in parallel with the verticalwall, and wherein the first portion and the second portion transitionfrom a first position to a second position to form the continuousair-tight seal around the transport carrier; and accessing, using awafer transport tool associated with the multiple transport carrierdocking device, the transport carrier while the continuous air-tightseal is around the transport carrier.
 10. The method of claim 9, whereinthe second portion is configured to transition downward from the firstposition to the second position to form the continuous air-tight sealaround the transport carrier.
 11. The method of claim 9, furthercomprising: moving the transport carrier within the chamber via themoveable platform.
 12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:removing a carrier door from the transport carrier based on forming thecontinuous air-tight seal around the transport carrier.
 13. The methodof claim 12, wherein the chamber is a first chamber; wherein the carrierdoor is removed using a chamber door located within a second chamber;and wherein the method further comprises: moving the chamber door awayfrom the opening after removing the carrier door from the transportcarrier.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein moving the chamber dooraway from the opening comprises: sliding the chamber door downwardwithin the second chamber.
 15. The method of claim 13, whereinaccessing, using the wafer transport tool, the transport carriercomprises: obtaining a wafer from the transport carrier through theopening.
 16. The method of claim 12, further comprising: moving anothertransport carrier within the chamber via another moveable platform, ofthe plurality of moveable platforms, while the carrier door is removedfrom the transport carrier.
 17. A method, comprising: providing, via ahole in a vertical wall, a wafer to a transport carrier positioned on amoveable platform of a plurality of moveable platforms included in achamber of a multiple transport carrier docking device while acontinuous air-tight seal is formed around the transport carrier by asealing component of the multiple transport carrier docking device,wherein a first portion of the sealing component is configured totransition horizontally inward in parallel with the vertical wall and asecond portion of the sealing component is configured to transitionvertically inward in parallel with the vertical wall, and wherein thefirst portion and the second portion transition from a first position toa second position to form the continuous air-tight seal around thetransport carrier; placing a carrier door onto the transport carrierwhile the continuous air-tight seal is around the transport carrier; andretracting the sealing component to remove the continuous air-tight sealaround the transport carrier.
 18. The method of claim 17, furthercomprising: moving another transport carrier within the chamber viaanother moveable platform, of the plurality of moveable platforms, whilethe continuous air-tight seal is around the transport carrier.
 19. Themethod of claim 17, wherein retracting the sealing component comprises:transitioning the first portion horizontally outward from the secondposition to the first position; and transitioning the second portionvertically outward from the second position to the first position. 20.The method of claim 17, further comprising: moving the plurality ofmoveable platforms within the chamber to align the transport carrierwith the sealing component; and contracting the sealing component aroundthe transport carrier to form the continuous air-tight seal around thetransport carrier after aligning the transport carrier with the sealingcomponent.